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6- The Oakville Beaver, Wednesday November 14, 2007 www.oakvillebeaver.com OPINION & LETTERS The Oakville Beaver 467 Speers Rd., Oakville Ont. L6K 3S4 (905) 845-3824 Fax: 337-5567 Classified Advertising: 845-3824, ext. 224 Circulation: 845-9742 Editorial and advertising content of the Oakville Beaver is protected by copyright. Unauthorized use is prohibited. THE OAKVILLE BEAVER IS PROUD OFFICIAL MEDIA SPONSOR FOR: The Oakville Beaver is a division of IAN OLIVER Group Publisher Media Group Ltd. NEIL OLIVER Publisher JILL DAVIS Editor in Chief ROD JERRED Managing Editor DANIEL BAIRD Advertising Director RIZIERO VERTOLLI Photography Director SANDY PARE Business Manager MARK DILLS Director of Production MANUEL GARCIA Production Manager CHARLENE HALL Director of Distribution ALEXANDRIA CALHOUN Circ. Manager If not us, then who? If not us, then who? If not now, then when? Toronto Argonauts quarterback Damon Allen of Oakville quoted his coach, Michael "Pinball" Clemons, another Oakville resident, during the recent fourth annual Halton Learning Foundation celebration and fundraising dinner where he was guest speaker. Allen also noted another coach in his life, one in his first year of high school, when the unsure Allen thought he was too small for football, who told the young man, `You can do it.' With the record for all-time passing yards, four Grey Cups and a CFL Most Outstanding Player for 2005 under his helmet, Allen knows how a quiet voice in a young life can make a difference. That's really what the Halton Learning Foundation is all about -- quietly, but solidly, helping kids get an education. Whether it's money for a bus pass, literacy skills, breakfast, lunch or a scholarship, the Halton Learning Foundation is there. It is there because of the support it receives from the community. For the second year running, the RBC handed over $30,000 to its efforts during last Thursday's gala. The funds raised go to the foundation's Eliminating Barriers Fund, which last year assisted 350 students, and has already helped 300 this year. These are kids who would otherwise sit in class hungry, perhaps unable to concentrate fully, or those worried about how they're going to get home. Some 10,000 children in Halton live in poverty. Many of them live in Oakville. They are in every school and often principals know who they are, so the foundation allocates funds to schools for disbursement by principals. In that way, children are assisted, but not singled out -- simply helped in a quiet way. And no one knows just who these students may become or what they may achieve. It's about levelling the playing field, about giving everyone the same opportunity to make of it what they will. After all, as Allen said, education is the most fundamental aspect of human life and Halton is fortunate enough to have a foundation that, if ever a child with barriers in life is in need, allows them an opportunity to do something more. The Oakville Beaver welcomes letters from its readers. Letters will be edited for clarity, length, legal considerations and grammar. In order to be published all letters must contain the name, address and phone number of the author. Letters should be addressed to The Editor, Oakville Beaver, 467 Speers Rd., Oakville, ON, L6K 3S4, or via e-mail to editor@oakvillebeaver.com. The Beaver reserves the right to refuse to publish a letter. LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Amica's proposed seniors' residence is inappropriate Re: Amica Development. I have had a medical practice at 179 Bronte Rd. for 40 years, having had a home and office practice at this location. I live close to the area proposed for a senior residence and I am well known in this area of the town. I feel that it is totally unfair for Bronte-area citizens to have been participants for the Amica developers and named as Amica's working party on behalf of their proposal. Those in that party were delegates from Walton Memorial Church, Church of the Epiphany, Bronte business group, Bronte Village Residents Association (BVRA), and Ennisclare on the Lake. The congregation of Walton Memorial Church was not informed on the board level and had a delegate on the committee since early in the year. The local neighbours in my area were unaware as to what was going on until about May of this year. I am upset that a developer can come to town and get such representation working on their behalf. Among the building slated for demolition is the dental office building and the art gallery situated next door to it. These two buildings have had heritage designation consideration. They are sound in their structure and add character to our area. The massive structure of the proposed seniors' building to be built on Bronte Road is inappropriate and the number of buildings slated to be destroyed is quite extensive. This section of Bronte Road is very busy with motor vehicle traffic including service trucks, ambulances, and fire trucks and police cars and there is the safety factor. It is unsafe for an elderly population, who use walkers and battery-operated motor carts and also who are slower in mobility. The nearby intersection of Lakeshore and Bronte Road is a complicated and dangerous crossing even for the agile. Hopefully the seniors' residence building will not get approval at this particular location. DOUGLAS P. WALMSLEY Pud BY STEVE NEASE snease@haltonsearch.com The Oakville Beaver is a member of the Ontario Press Council. The council is located at 80 Gould St., Suite 206, Toronto, Ont., M5B 2M7. Phone 416-340-1981. Advertising is accepted on the condition that, in the event of a typographical error, that portion of advertising space occupied by the erroneous item, together with a reasonable allowance for signature, will not be charged for, but the balance of the advertisement will be paid for at the applicable rate. The publisher reserves the right to categorize advertisements or decline.